Beginner's guide to Sri Lanka

2 November 2017

By Richard Roberts

Sri Lanka's nickname – the Teardrop of India – is a neat image, and understandable when you see the island on a map, plopped below India's south-eastern tip. But it's rather an unfair one when you consider the attractions Sri Lanka has all completely its own. Forget India as a reference point; Sri Lanka is its own country, from stunning beaches to ancient Buddhist temples to national parks home to elephants and leopards. Here's what you need to know about visiting this incomparable country.

What to expect

Variety, when it comes to everything, and on an impressive scale – particularly for a country half the size of England. Food will challenge your idea of what curry can be, with as much in common with Southeast Asia as India; wildlife is extraordinary, with elephants, leopards, sloth bears and over 600 kinds of primate; scenery ranges from idyllic beaches to dense jungle to thriving city, and you can stay in all kinds of accommodation from modern luxury five-stars in the cities to super-relaxing, charming boutique beach shacks.

The lie of the land

Sri Lanka has a wildly diverse geography. Its white-sand, coconut palm-covered beaches are extraordinary, whether for sunbathing or snorkelling over the coral reef. Then there are the Central Highlands, rainforest-covered swathes of mountainous land with incredible biodiversity that makes for excellent wildlife-spotting. In short, this is touring country.

Landmark cities

Although most trips to Sri Lanka are structured around the country's 26 National Parks and its perfect beaches, the major cities are well worth a visit beyond their status as travel and transport hubs. You'll generally fly into Colombo, the capital, which easily blends colonial architecture with leafy spaces, rich history and bustling traditional markets alongside modern development and smart hotels.

Kandy is the hub for exploring the hill country, right in the middle of the island and a cultural centre, famous for its annual Esala Perahera Buddhist festival in July and August. Historic Galle in the south is an essential sightseeing stop with its Dutch-colonial landmarks, natural harbour and temples, as well as its major cricket ground.

The pick of the beaches

Sri Lankan beaches that aren't stunningly inviting are like hen's teeth. You can take your pick around the island, but some of the best are around the quiet resort of Mirissa in the south, where beachfront accommodation nestles among coconut palms. Finish a jam-packed sightseeing tour of the country with a relaxing two-night stay on the beach here with a grand tour of Sri Lanka.

The National Parks: Yala, Horton Plains, Udawalawe and beyond

Sri Lanka's National Parks could take up a guide by themselves. In a nutshell, if you have any interest in nature tourism, you should stop whatever you're doing and start planning a trip here. Yala is the largest and home to leopards and elephants; Horton Plains is a stunning area of cloud forest and grassy expanses, with amazing biodiversity, Or just take a look at our Sri Lanka Parks and Wildlife tour – a 16-day National Park-hopping tour with stops in Kandy, Horton Plains and a host of other scenic spots.

When to go

Sri Lanka has a complex tropical climate, partly due to its geography. It's hot most places year-round, though the centre is often cooler and as a rule it gets cooler the higher you go. So in Nuwara Eliya, a mainstay of tours for its scenery tea plantations, temperatures can get down to a pleasant 14°C. Elsewhere temperatures can get into the high 30s in May. The main thing to bear in mind is Sri Lanka's two monsoon seasons; one from May to October, affecting the southwest and bringing the heaviest rain around June. The other affects the east from November to March. That means Yala is best visited around February, while the highlands are great in December.

There's no real 'best time' to visit Sri Lanka; different areas have different conditions at different times of year; pick your itinerary from our full range of tours in Sri Lanka and get in touch to talk dates.

Published by Mail Travel, a division of Associated Newspapers Limited, a company registered in England under company number 84121 with a registered office at Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT

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